J5SO 


* IF 
MILLIONS 
PRAYED 

t r 


BY 


WILLIAM  E- 
DOUGHTY 


INTERCHURCH  111  FIFTH 

WORLD  MOVEMENT  AVENUE 

OF  NORTH  AMERICA  NEW  YORK 


IF  MILLIONS 
PRAYED 


By 

WILLIAM  E.  DOUGHTY 


INTERCHURCH  WORLD  MOVEMENT 
OF  NORTH  AMERICA 


111  FIFTH  AVENUE 


NEW  YORK  CITY 


Price:  5 cents  each,  50  cents 
per  dozen,  $2.75  per  hundred. 


Serial  No.  62.  I.  50.  Oct.  1919 


If  Millions  Prayed 

In  that  great  New  Testament  book,  the  Acts, 
there  is  a passage  with  a thrilling  message  for 
today.  It  presents  a powerful  combination 
of  truths.  It  reveals  the  quality  of  spirit 
necessary  for  a conquering  church.  It  sets 
forth  in  gripping  phraseology  the  place  of 
prayer  in  the  creative  new  epochs  of  spiritual 
history. 

Many  elements  always  enter  into  each  new 
development  of  the  religious  life  of  the  world, 
but  here  special  emphasis  is  given  to  the  place 
and  power  of  prayer  in  the  expansion  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ: 

“When  they  had  prayed  the  place  was  shaken 
wherein  they  were  gathered  together,  and  they 
were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  they 
spake  the  word  of  God  with  boldness. 

“And  the  multitude  of  them  that  believed  were 
of  one  heart  and  soul ; and  not  one  of  them 
said  that  aught  of  the  things  which  he  pos- 
sessed was  his  own.”  (Acts  4:31,  32.) 

Can  these  experiences  of  the  first  century  be 
repeated  ? The  situation  faced  by  the  mod- 
ern church  is  a call  to  intercession  such  as 
it  has  never  had.  What  would  happen  if  the 


4 


If  Millions  Prayed 


millions  in  all  the  churches,  with  the  same 
vivid  and  compelling  vision  of  Jesus  Christ 
which  these  early  disciples  had,  should  really 
give  themselves  to  united  prayer?  Suppose 
we  had  faith  enough  and  our  prayer  penetrated 
as  far  and  as  deep  as  theirs  into  fellowship 
with  Christ,  what  would  be  the  outcome? 
What  did  happen?  It  is  no  theory  we  face 
but  an  experience.  Scripture  records  five  defi- 
nite, concrete  results.  May  we  not  with  in- 
tensity and  reality  look  for  similar  results  when 
the  church  prays? 


1.  They  Were  Shaken 

W hen  they  had  prayed  the  place  was 
shaken  wherein  they  were  gathered  together.” 
(Acts  4:31.) 

Nothing  but  a vision  of  God  can  stir  the 
church  as  these  early  disciples  were  moved. 
They  felt  the  burden  of  need;  they  saw  the 
wounds  of  Christ ; they  looked  upon  the  mighty 
works  of  God. 

The  war  has  shaken  the  world.  It  has  shaken 
the  church,  too,  somewhat,  but  not  enough. 
The  church  needs  new  and  deeper  manifesta- 
tions of  God  to  enable  it  to  shake  off  the  old 
age  and  put  on  the  new.  This  experience  of 
the  early  church  was  evidently  no  mild  emo- 
tion, no  simple,  pleasurable  sensation ; no  gen- 
tle thrill,  but  a cleavage  of  soul  that  opened 


If  Millions  Prayed 


5 


channels  of  vitality  in  their  hearts  to  flood 
with  crimson  the  life  of  the  world. 

That  was  a dramatic  moment  in  a great  irri- 
gation project  when  a blast  was  set  off  which 
tore  a hole  through  a mountain  side  and  let 
a river  loose  to  reclaim  a million  acres  from 
death.  Prayer  set  off  the  blast  that  shook 
that  eastern  world  so  profoundly  that  its  life 
was  riven  and  history  changed  forever. 

After  an  extended  visit  to  Great  Britain  some 
years  ago  during  the  Welsh  revival  and  a spe- 
cial study  of  the  spiritual  and  missionary  move- 
ments which  at  that  time  were  sweeping  over 
Great  Britain,  Dr.  S.  Earl  Taylor  expressed 
the  deep  conviction  of  his  heart  in  the  follow- 
ing paragraphs  now  strikingly  significant  in 
view  of  the  mighty  developments  which  are 
upon  us: 

“It  is  evident  that  ordinary  methods  and  or- 
dinary rates  of  increase  in  membership  and  in 
giving  will  not  suffice.  The  time  has  come 
for  the  extraordinary,  and  it  is  probable  that 
this  will  come  through  a special  outpouring 
of  the  spirit  of  God  in  answer  to  prayer.  Is 
it  not  true  that  the  great  need  of  the  hour 
is  for  an  ever-increasing  volume  of  intercessory 
prayer,  not  only  that  laborers  may  be  thrust 
forth  into  the  harvest,  but  that  the  church 
may  be  profoundly  stirred  to  do  its  full  duty 
for  the  causes  of  world  evangelism,  and  that 
there  may  be  such  an  outpouring  of  the  Holy 


6 


If  Millions  Prayed 


Spirit  as  that  we  may  experience  in  this  coun- 
itry  such  revivals  of  pure  and  undefiled  religion 
as  have  not  been  seen  since  apostolic  days? 
It  will  not  suffice  to  sit  down  and  criticise  ex- 
isting plans  and  organizations  and  methods. 
The  great  missionary  societies  of  the  world 
have  been  built  up  by  years  of  most  careful 
experimentation,  and  the  able  leaders  of  these 
societies  have  spent  much  time  in  anxious  con- 
sideration of  ways  and  means  for  more  thor- 
oughly arousing  the  churches.  Has  not  the 
time  come  for  sympathetic  aggressive  and  pray- 
erful cooperation  on  the  part  of  all  who  believe 
in  and  work  for  the  evangelization  of  the 
world?  If  we  look  at  the  difficulties  which 
are  to  be  encountered  in  thoroughly  arousing 
the  evangelical  churches  of  the  English-speak- 
ing world,  we  may  become  discouraged ; but 
if  we  look  to  the  omnipotent  God  and  remem- 
ber what  he  has  done  during  the  past  century 
in  breaking  down  the  barriers  and  in  preparing 
the  way,  may  we  not  read  with  new  courage 
the  challenge  of  the  Almighty  which  is  found 
in  the  thirty-second  chapter  of  Jeremiah,  at 
verse  twenty-seven:  ‘Behold  I am  Jehovah,  the 
God  of  all  flesh:  is  there  anything  too  hard 
for  me?’  ” 


Is  this  not  what  we  need?  Is  it  not  such 
a new  discovery  of  God,  such  a new  obedience, 
such  expanding  plans  and  such  a daring  faith 
that  new  measures  of  God’s  power  shall  be 
released?  We  need  to  be  shaken  so  that 


If  Millions  Prayed 


7 


choked  channels  may  be  opened ; small  chan- 
nels widened  and  deepened ; new  ones  riven 
where  none  are  now;  channels  big  enough  for 
God  and  big  enough  for  this  hour.  When 
they  had  prayed  they  were  shaken. 

Well  may  we  all  enter  into  the  spirit  of  that 
impassioned  prayer: 

“Stir  me,  Oh!  stir  me,  Lord,  I care  not  how, 
But  stir  my  heart  in  passion  for  the  world, 

Stir  me  to  give,  to  go— -but  most  to  pray : 

Stir,  ’till  the  blood-red  banner  be  unfurled 
O’er  lands  that  still  in  deepest  darkness  lie, 
O’er  deserts  where  no  cross  is  lifted  high. 

Stir  me,  Oh!  stir  me,  Lord.  Thy  heart  was 
stirred 

By  love’s  intensest  fire,  ’till  Thou  didst  give 
Thine  only  Son,  Thy  best  beloved  One, 

Even  to  the  dreadful  cross,  that  I might  live : 
Stir  me  to  give  myself  so  back  to  Thee, 

That  Thou  canst  give  Thyself  again  through 


2.  They  Were  Empowered 

When  they  had  prayed  ....  they 
were  ail  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit.” 

This  is  the  central  and  indispensable  experience 
of  triumphant  leadership.  Never  yet  was  a 
man  filled  with  God  who  did  not  first  pray. 
Prayer  does  not  empower  a man,  God  alone 
does  that ; but  prayer  opens  the  way ; prayer 


8 


If  Millions  Prayed 


cuts  through  the  forest;  prayer  bridges  or 
breaks  down  the  barriers;  prayer  quickens  the 
faith;  prayer  makes  God  real;  prayer  clarifies 
the  thinking;  prayer  energizes  the  will. 
Prayer  does  not  change  God’s  will  but  releases 
it.  Prayer  does  not  create  power  but  trans- 
mits it.  Prayer  does  not  increase  the  energies 
of  the  universe  but  it  puts  on  deposit  with 
God  energies  which  he  releases  to  bless  the 
world. 

We  face  a task  too  big,  too  complex,  too  diffi- 
cult for  any  but  God-empowered  men.  Un- 
less there  is  a clear  and  deep  sense  that  God 
is  here ; that  the  wrork  we  do  is  the  will  of 
God ; that  the  power  of  God  is  available  for 
this  task,  how  hopeless  is  our  quest!  When 
the  millions  pray  they  will  be  empowered. 

We  would  all  accept,  I suppose,  as  a general 
working  basis  the  following  statement:  All 
personal  values  center  in  Jesus  Christ;  all 
social  ideals  culminate  in  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Yet  there  are  hundreds  of  millions  to 
whom  the  church  has  not  carried  the  personal 
Christ  with  conquering  power.  If  these  hun- 
dreds of  millions  are  to  be  sought  and  won 
there  must  be  veritable  avalanches  of  power 
in  Christ-possessed  personalities  sent  out  across 
Latin,  Moslem  and  pagan  lands. 

We  believe,  theoretically  at  least,  in  the  ade- 
quacy of  the  gospel  to  meet  modern  social 
conditions,  yet  the  three  great  social  sins  over 


If  Millions  Prayed 


9 


all  the  world  still  cry  unto  God,  “The  blood 
of  thy  brother  Abel  crieth”— the  sin  of  slaugh- 
ter. “The  sin  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  cri- 
eth”— the  unrestrained,  unconquered  passions 
of  men.  The  cry  of  the  reaper  defrauded  of 
his  wages  and  his  rights  (Jas.  5:4)  still  comes 
up  before  God — the  sin  of  economic  injustice. 
The  church  must  somehow  get  strength  to  cope 
with  these  forces  which  are  struggling  for  mas- 
tery in  our  modern  world.  If  on  the  one  hand, 
“the  church,”  as  one  expressed  it,  “is  to  know 
what  is  going  on  in  the  tin  can  back  in  my 
alley”  and  on  the  other  hand,  if  the  church 
is  to  win  the  whole  world,  we  must  find  that 
path  to  power,  that  lonely  road  which  leads 
into  the  hidden  resources  of  God. 

Two  friends  went  up  into  the  mountains  for 
their  vacation.  After  they  had  pitched  their 
tents  and  made  other  arrangements  for  their 
weeks  of  rest,  one  of  the  friends  said  to  the 
other:  “Let  us  give  some  time  to  prayer  be- 
fore we  go  to  sleep  this  first  night.”  The 
prayer  that  followed  carried  them  over  the 
wide  spaces  of  the  world  2s  this  man  who  had 
learned  the  secret  and  power  of  intercession 
laid  before  the  Lord  the  great  burden  of  his 
heart  regarding  the  work  of  the  kingdom.  It 
was  a great  hour  of  penetration  and  vision.  In 
talking  of  it  afterward  the  man  who  had  thus 
been  led  by  his  friend  into  the  sacred,  secret 
places  of  leadership  and  power  said:  “When 
my  friend  stopped  praying  I was  almost  afraid 


10 


If  Millions  Prayed 


to  reach  out  my  hand  in  the  dark  for  fear 
I might  touch  God.” 

Is  not  this  the  experience  which  the  leaders 
of  our  age  need?  They  must  reach  out  their 
hands  and  touch  God.  There  is  always  a 
sense  of  awe  when  one  is  conscious  of  that 
presence  which  fills  all  life  with  glory.  But 
it  is  not  fear  of  a power  that  would  do  us 
harm,  but  that  refreshing,  overwhelming  sense 
of  the  presence  of  infinite,  omnipotent  good- 
ness. 

Let  it  be  repeated  again  and  again  that  if  this 
Movement  is  carried  through  to  victory,  not  its 
leaders  only  but  millions  of  those  who  make  up 
the  constituency  of  the  church  must  somehow 
be  brought  into  such  an  attitude  toward  God 
and  into  such  an  atmosphere  charged  with 
spiritual  vitalities  that  they  can  reach  out  their 
hands  and  touch  God. 

Well  may  we  approach  the  vision  and  tasks  of 
these  days  in  the  spirit  of  the  Psalmist,  as  trans- 
lated by  Luther:  “My  soul  in  silence  waiting 
all  hushed  for  God.” 

“When  they  had  prayed  ....  they 
were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit.” 

3.  They  Discovered  the  Secret  of 
Courage 

"When  they  had  prayed  ....  they 
spake  the  word  of  God  with  boldness.” 


If  Millions  Prayed 


11 


The  church  of  Christ  confronts  a task  re- 
quiring superb  courage;  it  calls  for  nerve  and 
daring  of  the  highest  order.  Where  shall  we 
find  them  ? When  we  think  of  the  difficulties 
within  as  well  as  without  the  church;  the  in- 
difference of  millions;  the  narrow  vision  of 
many,  even  of  those  who  should  be  leaders; 
the  problems  involved  in  quickening  the  church 
spiritually  or  in  organization  and  education 
and  finance,  we  may  well  throw  ourselves  upon 
God. 

A British  statesman  and  a French  soldier  were 
talking  about  the  comparative  merits  of  British 
and  French  soldiers.  Said  the  Frenchman 
with  a fine  enthusiasm  for  his  comrades:  “The 
French  soldier  is  the  bravest  soldier  in  the 
world.”  The  British  statesman,  with  no  less 
of  fine  enthusiasm  for  his  comrades,  said:  “It 
may  be  that  the  French  soldier  is  the  bravest 
in  the  world,  but  the  British  soldier  is  brave 
for  a quarter  of  an  hour  longer  than  any  sol- 
dier on  earth.” 

We  are  in  the  midst  of  a movement  in  which 
it  is  those  who  know  how  to  be  brave  for  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  longer  than  any  body  else 
who  will  finally  lead  to  victory. 

We  must  be  prepared  to  face  many  a battle 
outnumbered  a thousand  or  ten  thousand  to 
one ; to  march  up  to  machine-gun  fire  without 
flinching.  We  must  be  patient  but  firm  with 
those  who  worship  the  ancient  ways  of  doing 


12 


If  Millions  Prayed 


things;  with  those  who  do  not  hear  the  gales 
in  the  tops  of  the  trees;  with  those  who  are 
progressive  in  everything  else  but  go  slow 
or  let  well  enough  alone  in  the  church ; men 
who  forget,  as  Professor  Ross  has  so  striking- 
ly said  in  The  Changing  Chinese:  “Nowa- 
days world  processes  are  telescoped  and  his- 
tory is  made  at  aviation  speed.” 

Do  we  not  have  in  this  experience  the  ex- 
planation of  every  new  spiritual  epoch? 
Prayer  is  the  deepest  human  secret  of  initia- 
tive and  originality  in  Christian  work.  Prayer 
involves  the  highest  creative  functions  of  per- 
sonality. The  pentecostal  outpourings  which 
inaugurated  new  epochs  were  ail  preceded  and 
accompanied  by  prayer ; in  some  cases  long 
periods  of  waiting  upon  God. 

Here  is  the  human  secret  of  the  Wesleyan 
revival ; of  the  great  awakenings  in  India  and 
Korea  and  in  other  parts  of  the  mission  field. 
It  characterized  the  Welsh  revival  and  other 
great  modern  spiritual  movements.  It  was 
the  secret  of  the  leadership  of  William  Carey 
which  resulted  in  the  beginning  of  great  mis- 
sionary movements  in  Great  Britain.  It  was 
the  same  fire  that  burned  in  the  souls  of  those 
Williams  College  students  and  at  Andover, 
inaugurating  the  missionary  crusade  in  Amer- 
ica. To  learn  this  lesson  afresh  we  have 
only  to  go  out  to  that  old  butternut  tree  at 
Silver  Bay  under  which  in  1902  the  Young 
People’s  Missionary  Movement  was  organ- 


If  Millions  Prayed 


13 


ized ; or  to  the  chapel  of  the  Fifth  Avenue 
Presbyterian  Church  in  New  York  City  where 
the  Laymen’s  Missionary  Movement  was 
launched ; or  out  to  Round  Top  at  North- 
field,  where  prayer  set  on  fire  a group  of  col- 
lege men  who  began  the  Student  Volunteer 
Movement. 

The  modern  task  of  the  church  requires  vast 
stores  of  initiative  and  originality.  Where 
shall  they  be  found  except  as  we  press  far 
back  into  the  heart  of  God  where  all  the  vi- 
sions are  born  and  from  which  come  forth  all 
the  creative  spiritual  energies  to  redeem  the 
world?  The  Interchurch  World  Movement 
was  born  of  God.  It  will  begin  a new  spirit- 
ual epoch  if  we  are  obedient  to  the  call  of 
God.  We  dare  not  fail  God  in  this  hour. 

“When  they  had  prayed  ....  they 
spake  the  word  of  God  with  boldness.” 


4.  They  Were  Unified 

W HEN  they  had  prayed  ....  the 
multitude  of  them  that  believed  were  of  one 
heart  and  one  soul.” 

How  such  an  experience  would  unify  the 
forces  within  any  one  denomination!  How 
much  greater  than  in  any  one  communion  is 
the  need  of  spiritual  fellowship  and  under- 
standing in  the  whole  church  of  Christ. 
Nothing  less  than  a great  spiritual  task  can 


14 


If  Millions  Prayed 


unify  us.  In  such  a task  prayer  is  always  one 
of  the  highest  unifying  factors.  It  creates  fa- 
vorable conditions  for  a deep  and  pervasive 
spiritual  quickening  than  which  there  is  no 
means  so  powerful  in  blending  millions  to- 
gether. 

Our  hearts  are  deeply  moved  as  we  realize 
how  very  greatly  unity  is  needed.  Is  Christ’s 
prayer  in  John  17  to  be  answered?  Surely 
the  needs  of  the  world  today  demand  that 
the  united  power  of  the  whole  church  be 
brought  to  bear  upon  them!  Have  we  not 
recognized  the  truth  as  stated  by  John  R. 
Mott:  “An  unbelieving  world  is  the  price 
we  pay  for  a divided  church?” 

Our  different  communions  are  too  often  like 
a heap  of  sand.  No  mechanical  pressure  can 
unite  the  separate  grains.  Only  fire  can 
take  a mass  of  sand  and  make  it  into  ma- 
terial fit  for  a cornerstone  of  the  temple  of 
God.  Is  not  one  of  our  supreme  needs  to 
have  such  a burning  passion  for  Christ  and 
world-redemption  expressing  itself  in  prayer 
and  work  as  shall  fuse  us  together  in  purpose 
and  program  and  service? 

The  war  threw  the  nations  into  a veritable 
furnace  of  fire  and  out  of  it  came  coopera- 
tion and  action  under  a unified  command  on 
a scale  never  before  seen.  In  our  day  is  not 
God  allowing  us  to  go  into  a furnace  of 
testing  to  prove  again  the  reality  of  our 
Christianity  by  challenging  us  to  lay  aside 


If  Millions  Prayed 


IS 


our  differences,  in  obedience  to  the  call  of 
God,  and  to  go  forward  under  a unified  com- 
mand to  face  our  whole  common  work  to- 
gether? Such  a spiritual  unity  would  send  a 
thrill  through  all  Christendom  and  give  hope 
for  still  greater  triumphs  ahead. 

“When  they  had  prayed  ....  they 
were  of  one  heart  and  one  soul.” 


5.  They  Entered  into  the  Spirit  of 
Sacrifice 

hen  they  had  prayed  ....  not 
one  of  them  said  that  aught  of  the  things 
which  he  possessed  was  his  own.” 

The  giving  of  money  has  been  called  “the  acid 
test  of  consecration.”  No  part  of  our  Chris- 
tian program  is  more  spiritual  than  securing 
the  needed  money;  but  only  if  it  is  done  in  the 
right  way.  Prayer  is  the  greatest  human  in- 
fluence in  raising  money.  The  present  pro- 
gram of  the  church  has  all  the  elements  that 
make  victory  possible.  It  is  inclusive  of  all 
interests,  home  and  foreign;  it  calls  for  deep- 
ened spiritual  life;  it  opens  up  thrilling  possi- 
bilities of  missionary  education ; it  demands 
organization  never  so  complete  and  inclusive; 
it  involves  a field  campaign  of  great  magni- 
tude ; it  calls  for  the  enlistment  and  training 
of  laymen  on  a_  scale  never  before  possible ; it 
will  ultimately  be  based  on  a survey  which 


16 


If  Millions  Prayed 


shall  marshal  all  the  facts  and  call  for  ade- 
quate resources  of  life  and  money  to  meet 
these  needs  as  a practical  expression  of  our 
faith  in  the  fact  that  God  wants  the  whole 
task  undertaken. 

We  are  not  afraid  of  a big  budget  but  we  are 
afraid  of  a budget  which  is  not  big  enough. 
We  have  no  fear  of  a great  organization,  but 
we  are  afraid  of  not  building  an  organization 
powerful  enough  to  carry  on  the  business.  We 
are  not  afraid  of  the  drive  to  secure  the  life 
and  money  but  we  are  afraid  of  that  false  mys- 
ticism which  discounts  using  to  the  utmost  the 
statesmanship,  the  brains,  sagacity  and  tested 
business  principles  which  we  profoundly  be- 
lieve God  would  have  us  use  to  realize  our 
program. 

“When  they  had  prayed,  not  one  of  them  said 
. . . All  this  because  they  saw  Jesus 

Christ  and  understood  the  hour — God’s  hour 
— into  which  they  had  come. 

No  such  hour  as  this  has  ever  dawned  before 
for  the  stewardship  of  prayer,  of  life,  of  tal- 
ents, of  money.  Are  we  equal  to  the  emer- 
gency and  will  we  give  and  pray  to  the  utmost 
that  the  church  may  win  a world?  This  is 
the  opportunity  of  a thousand  life-times.  We 
must  do  it!  We  will  do  it! 


I 


i 


No.  62.  I.  75.  Oot.  1919, 


